


Second Time Around

by Written_Ideas



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-02-16 09:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13051428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Written_Ideas/pseuds/Written_Ideas
Summary: Elizabeth Lena Pine, the best friend of Lily Evans Potter, is given a second chance at life. Unfortunately, it comes with a price - the struggle of being young again and the heartache of being sent to the future where everyone she knows is either dead or older.





	1. The First Wizarding War

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything except Elizabeth Lena Pine and the story plot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome to the first chapter of Second Time Around! Hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!
> 
> Spells used in this chapter (as explained on Harry Potter Wikia):
> 
> Avada Kedavra: Killing curse.  
> Bombarda Maxima: Used to provoke large, violent explosions capable of demolishing entire walls. This is a stronger variation of the traditional Bombarda charm.  
> Everte Statum: It causes opponent to fly back several feet, and causes a short sharp pain depending on the strength of the spell, but does not cause any lasting damage  
> Expecto Patronum: One of the most powerful defensive charms known to wizardkind.  
> Fumos: The Smokescreen Spell was a spell used to create a defensive cloud of smoke from the tip of the wand.  
> Protego: The Shield Charm.

**Saturday, 24th October 1981 ******

It was horrible. The war was horrible, and yet, there was nothing they could do. After three years of joining the Order of the Phoenix, they had hoped to make a difference. They were Gryffindors, damn it! If there was anything they could have done, they would have done it a thousand times over. But was there truly a way? Was there anyone strong enough to take the Dark Lord down? Twenty-one-year old Elizabeth Lena Pine clenched her fists, digging her nails deep into her palm. They had lost too many good people over the years.

Marlene McKinnon.

Dorcas Meadowes.

Edgar Bones.

Caradoc Dearborn.

Benjy Fenwick.

The Prewett Twins: Fabian and Gideon. God, she missed them both and their god-awful jokes. They were all killed, murdered, desecrated, overpowered. Lena took a deep breath. No, no, _no _. They will not be remembered that way. They will be remembered as fighters, survivors, brave, talented. They had all fought bravely and they should be remembered for that. Lena stood up from her chair and paced the room, her shoes tapping the wooden floorboards in an annoying manner. She stopped, feeling a hand on her shoulder. Lena turned around, forcing a smile onto her face.__

“Sorry, Lils,” she apologised to her auburn-haired best friend. She noticed the one-year-old in Lily’s arms and she started cooing at the baby, trying to make him laugh, or whatever it is babies do that represented laughter.

Lily smiled softly, holding up her young Harry for Lena to carry. Lena took Harry into her arms and continued cooing at the giggly boy. “Don’t worry, Lena. I _know _how you’re feeling.” Lily’s eyes glazed over, as though she was remembering happier times. Lena knew she did that quite a lot too. “I missed them too… I missed them all.”__

“C’mon now, ladies,” James Potter interrupted, making his way over to his wife to plant a kiss on her cheek. “Dumbledore must have a plan. We should trust him.” James reached over, picking his only son up and stuck his tongue out at Lena. “ _My _son. Go get your own son.”__

Lena smack James’ arm and glared. “In case you need help seeing, I don’t have a son, James.”

Lily was just shaking her head at her husband and her best friend. The talented witch walked off to the kitchen and left the two bickering about Harry as they usually did the minute Harry was born and Lily named Lena as Harry’s godmother. She carried a tray of three cups of hot tea over to the living room and placed them on the table. She beckoned at the bickering duo to take a seat as she snatched Harry from her husband’s arms. James pouted, but didn’t try to take his son back.

“Are they going to be here soon?” Lena interrupted the silence, feeling the itch to start pacing again as her left hand reached into her pocket to feel her wand. She always felt safer with a wand in her hand; it had saved her life countless of times, after all. “I’m going to be late meeting Moody at this rate.” She ran her fingers through her shoulder-length black hair, untangling the knots that formed while mumbling ‘ow’ under her breath.

Lily shook her head, bouncing Harry on her lap to get the boy to sleep, but Harry was too excited to see his godmother. “I don’t like it. Why are they always sending you out? Why can’t they send _someone else _?” Lily pulled Lena close to her as James took Harry from Lily to give the two women a chance to talk. “What if- what if you die out there, Lena?”__

The tears threatening to fall from Lily’s eyes made Lena’s own eyes start to water. “Don’t you dare! Lils, don’t start crying because if you do, I will too and I really hate crying. Please don’t cry.” Lena pleaded, trying to get Lily to stop. Lena sighed as Lily continued to sniff. “You know I have to go on these missions. We don’t have that many members left. You and James, and Frank and Alice are in hiding. Remus is undercover with the werewolves. We don’t have that many Order members left and you know we can’t call anyone else. And we can’t even think about calling Arthur and Molly to join the group. You know the Weasleys have six children to care for.”

A warm hand placed on Lena’s shoulder made everyone turn around to see a familiar charming black-haired wizard by the name of Sirius Black. He instantly reached out and placed an index finger on Lena’s lips. “I know, I know. I’m late. You can yell at me later, but right now, we have to talk.”

“Did anyone die today, Padfoot?” James asked.

Sirius’ face hardened. “Yes, seven muggles are dead.” He squeezed Lena’s shoulder as she closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. “Thankfully, Diggle and I captured the three Death Eaters before more could be killed.”

Lena placed her hand on Sirius’ and sighed, “is Diggle still wearing that hideous purple top hat of his? That thing’s attracting too much attention.” She shook her head, moving to stand up and give Sirius Black a hug.  
“If there’s one thing we know about Diggle,” Sirius began, a twinkle of mirth in his eyes. “He sure knows how to get attention.”

James chuckled, standing up to pass Harry to the young boy’s godfather. “Harry here has been missing his dog, Padfoot. That and his broom.”

“ _What _? Does young Harry have plans to be a Chaser like _you _, Prongs?” Sirius watched as Harry reached out to grab his moustache. Sirius kept moving his head back to avoid the boy’s grubby hands, but Harry just giggled and kept trying. “Restless little thing!” Sirius teased, barking out a laugh. James took Harry back into his arms while the two women just shook their head with a soft smile. The quartet continued talking and reminiscing about their schooling days, none of them wanted to talk about the present and the war. By the time they were done with their cups of tea, Lena stood up and hugged each of them.____

“I can’t possibly sit around and wait for Peter to get here,” Lena announced, pulling out her wand from her pocket. “Are you sure you want to have Peter as your Secret Keeper, Lils, James?”

“They wouldn’t suspect him, Lena,” Sirius interrupted, adamant about the plan. “The Death Eaters wouldn’t think of Wormtail. It’s the _perfect _plan!”__

Lena rubbed her neck, a feeling of unease forming. She looked reluctant, but she knew that Lily needed her approval. Lily needed Lena to agree with this plan and Lena wanted nothing more than to assure Lily’s safety. “Alright, fine.” Lena said at last, giving Lily one last tight hug and Harry a peck on the forehead. “Just, _please _be careful. If you need anything, anything at all, you know where to find me.”__

“Of course, you too,” Lily agreed, her eyes watering again. “Be careful out there.”

Lena grinned, flipping her black hair back with flair, “what are you talking about? I’m always careful.”

Sirius smirked. “And I’m a purple hippogriff.”

Lena rolled her eyes, flashing her middle finger at Sirius as she apparated away to the sound of people laughing.

  
  
**Saturday, 31st October 1981 ******

Lena should have listened to her own feelings. She knew something bad was going to happen. The lack of Death Eater activity should have raised a lot of alarm, but for some reason, everyone seemed to take it as a sign of the enemy weakening. That was, of course, a whole load of bull. Lena didn’t like feeling helpless. She didn’t like being kept in the dark and, so she went off to the Ministry of Magic. Alastor ‘Mad-Eye’ Moody, in all his gruff glory, guffawed as soon as he saw her. Lena rolled her eyes.  
“Come on, Moody, there must be something for me today,” she said, walking over to the famed auror.

“And as I’ve been telling you all morning, Pine,” his mouth twisted into an awkward smile. “There’s nothing for you. Take a break, Pine. You deserved it.”

Lena scrunched up her nose, letting out a long sigh. “ _I can’t _. Somethin’ bad is happening today and I can just feel it in my bones.” She raised her index finger up, silencing the older auror. “I trust my instincts, Moody and you know they’ve never steered me wrong.” She leaned against the table, her fingers drumming it in an attempt to calm her nerves. She needed to do something. Anything. Capture more Death Eaters. Get in a fight. Heal someone. _Anything! _____

Moody grunted, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Look, Pine, you were out in the field too much and you’re just not used to a break.”

Lena threw her hands up in the air. “I’m going on patrol then. Don’t try to stop me, Moody.” She warned, pulling her wand out.

Moody just shook his head, a smirk on his face. The poor man had no idea that he should have stopped her while he had the chance. He had no idea how right the young female auror was and how he was going to regret his decision.

Elizabeth Lena Pine apparated to the familiar streets of London, keeping an eye out on anyone suspicious. Unlike the other aurors in the Ministry of Magic, Lena knew how to blend in with the muggle community. She always had a talent for dressing appropriately to avoid unwanted attention. She pulled on the sleeves of her sweater, shivering a little from the cold. She didn’t want to believe that something bad would happen, but she wouldn’t put it past her luck. Besides, trouble tended to follow her—no matter what.

Lena ignored the ogling eyes of several muggle men and continued walking. She didn’t have time for any of that when there’s war. She wondered how Lily and James were doing with young Harry. Lena missed her little godson. She knew Lily would be so annoyed but happy as the Marauders and Lena wanted to bestow on Harry some of their greatest Hogwarts pranks. Lena could easily hear the reprimanding voice of Professor Minerva McGonagall. She missed the older woman. She missed being in Hogwarts and not having to keep fighting in the war. She forced her way through the dinner time rush, her heels clacking along the pavement floor. Maybe she should drop by Godric’s Hollow, Lena thought to herself. It didn’t seem like the Order or the Ministry would be calling for her anytime soon. She rounded into an empty alleyway and apparated to Godric’s Hollow, moving quickly to the Potter’s cottage.

That was when everything went wrong.

Lena looked up at the visible Potter’s cottage and froze. She shouldn’t have been able to see the building. The door to the cottage was left wide open. No, she thought to herself. No, no, no, no, no. Her feet hurried over to the cottage before her mind could even process it. She noticed the swaying black-haired man standing by the doorway, a look of shock, fear, sadness, and anger etched on his face. “S-Sirius,” Lena whispered, rubbing at her eyes. Sirius staggered towards her, wrapping her in his arms. A familiar hand lying on the floor by the door made her choked back a sob. “What… what happened?” Though she didn’t want to know.

Sirius tightened his hold on her, “they’re _dead _, Lena.” His mellow tone made her heart break. Sirius was anything but mellow. He was always the heart of the party. He was always the fire, the lion charging into everything and anything head first. He was always one of her closest confidante. She untangled herself from him and made to enter the house when Sirius pulled her back, shaking his head. “No, let me go in first. If _He _is still here, I want you to run and get Dumbledore. _Don’t _. I can’t lose you too, Lena.”______

______Lena nodded, though she had her wand out and had absolutely no intention of running away. If Voldemort was still there, she was going to kill him, or she would die trying. She didn’t care anymore. They made their way inside, Lena holding back her tears at the sight of James Potter’s dead body on the floor. She clenched her fist. The Potters were unprepared. James was unarmed. Lena squeezed Sirius’ hand, reminding the older wizard to keep moving on. They needed to find young Harry. The stairs creaked under their combined weight. Sirius pulled his own wand out as they leaned close to the wall. The door to Harry’s room was left ajar. Sirius pushed the creaky door and he heaved a sigh of relief at the crying toddler. Sirius pulled Harry into his arms, rocking him and trying to calm the young boy. Lena froze again at the sight of Lily’s dead body. She got on her knees and pulled Lily close to her. Her breathing grew ragged as her tears ran down her cheeks._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’m so sorry, Lils… I’m so- I’m…I should have- If I had-”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Sirius got down and forced Lena to look at him. “I’m sorry, Lena,” he whispered._ _ _ _ _ _

__________Lena took a deep breath, “me too.” She glanced at Sirius’ grief-stricken face and knew that she was probably mirroring him. She stood up. There was no way she could leave it like this. No, someone had to take responsibility for this… _attack _. She ran her fingers over Sirius’ cheek and leaned in to kiss Harry on the forehead. “I’m sorry, Sirius. I truly am. Take care of Harry.” She gave one last long look at her deceased best friend and apparated away.__  
  


“ _Bombarda Maxima _!” Lena’s brown eyes flashed dangerously as an entire column of wall crumbled down. “Peter Pettigrew!” She yelled, as she noted that his hiding place was perfectly intact except for the wall she destroyed. No struggle. Her heart sank. They were all played by that sneaky rat. Lena tightened her grasp on her wand, scanning the place for the betrayer—the one who helped kill James and Lily. How dare he?! She heard a twig snap. “ _Protego _.” Lena muttered as she turned around to see four Death Eaters surrounding her.____

_____ _

It was a trap. Of course, it was. A forest had to be the best place to launch an attack. They must have expected someone to drop by, but it didn’t matter. Lena knew she could take them on if she need to, but there was no time for that

_____ _

“ _Everte Statum _!” Lena didn’t stay to watch if the Death Eaters were chasing her after being flung away by her spell. She knew they would chase her as soon as they got on their feet again and she took off running. “_ Fumos_.” Dark smoke began covering the entire area, making it almost impossible to see. Lena felt a certain tingling sensation in her body, a familiar sensation that she didn’t want to have now. “Not now,” she muttered, breathing heavily as she fled. She needed to warn Sirius, Remus, and Dumbledore. She didn’t have time to duel with the robe-clad worshippers of Voldemort. She didn’t have time to vanish off the face of the earth. The buzzing noise ringing in her ears was like a warning. She didn’t have time. She had wanted to stay here. She had made friends and family here. She didn’t want to leave before avenging her friends’ death. 

_____ _

Lena stopped running, turning around to face the four Death Eaters again. She smirked, looking at the wands pointed straight at her. She raised her beautiful ebony wand and thought of the moment she and Lily decided to be best friends as they ignored the Marauders with cheerful laughter ringing in the Gryffindor Common Room. _“Expecto Patronum _!” She yelled, and sent her Patronus with a clear message to the Order members: _Peter Pettigrew has betrayed us _.____

________ _ _ _ _

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___She had heard the Death Eaters yelling_ Avada Kedavra as everything vanished from view. Where she was going, the killing curse would not get to her in time. Once the ringing in her ears stopped, she looked around and groaned. Lena was still dressed in the same dirty, but now oversized clothes as before and she was still having her wand in her hand. She looked up to see the familiar and majestic Hogwarts Castle. She had thought she had left this world. Pulling out a pocket watch from where it was hidden around her neck, she flipped it open. _ _

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_1st September 1993._

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“Oh, _fuck _.”__

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	2. A New Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas/ Happy Christmas, everyone! Hope you will enjoy this chapter, but I must warn you, it is a short chapter. I promise the next chapter (chapter 3) will start kicking things into high gear and I'm super psyched for that! Thank you for reading and hope you get more of an understanding of Lena and her past/relationships with others. 

“ _Expecto patronum_!” Lena remembered yelling. Time was running out. She watched her translucent silvery Patronus and urged it to travel quickly. She had to warn them. She had to tell them: Peter Pettigrew has betrayed us. He had truly betrayed them all to the Dark Lord. Lena closed her eyes, and everything disappeared.  
  
**1st September 1993**  
  
Ouch. Lena rubbed the back of her neck, trying to loosen the tension there. Looking down, her clothes looked the same as before—dirty and covered by a layer of soot, which was caused by her faulty and hastily-used _Fumos_ spell. In her left hand, Lena was still carrying her familiar 9-inch ebony wand. She looked around, recognising the towering castle across the lake.  
  
_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_.  
  
Lena pulled out the old pocket watch and stared at the date that was displayed.  
  
_1st September 1993_.  
  
Lena cursed under her breath. This had never happened before. How did she get here? Why didn’t she end up in a different world as she did in the past? The last thing she remembered was a fight with some Death Eaters, but that wouldn’t answer any of her questions. She quickly transfigured her clothes, making it clean and making it the right size. She walked towards the lake and stared at her reflection. Black hair and brown eyes, freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks. She was young again. She knew she had to be around thirteen… She groaned. It didn’t matter. She had travelled to the future. She had no idea what exactly she would find in this timeline. She had no idea what had happened with the war against Voldemort. Clenching her fists, she had to get answers now. What happened to little Harry? What happened to Peter Pettigrew and did someone kill the bastard? What happened to the war? Lena looked up at the daunting castle in front of her. If she wanted answers, that had to be the place to get them.  
  
Lena walked into Hogwarts, feeling shivers running down her spine. This was home. It had been her home up to her graduation with her best friend, Lily Potter and the rest of the Marauders. The image of Lily and James’ dead bodies flashed through her mind and she winced. She hid her wand in her pocket, but kept her hand there. The walls were still dark and dreary, but it was something she was used to. There were no signs of Death Eaters nor any warnings against muggleborns and half-bloods. Perhaps they had won the war? No, it couldn’t have been that simple, right?  
  
Taking a deep breath, Lena pushed open the double doors leading into the Great Hall and the minute she noticed the lively atmosphere, the young black-haired witch smirked. It had been a while since she found herself in the presence of inexperienced wizards and witches, assuming she counted the years she had lost in the blink of an eye. All eyes turned to look at her, but Lena didn’t care. She made her way across the hall to the High Table. Lena watched as the professors stared at her in shock. Well, that answered one question. They thought she had died that night. Lena resisted the urge to run to McGonagall and give the older witch a hug. Instead, she curtseyed.  
  
“Good evening,” she began, tucking her hair behind her ear. “My name is E-” She paused. She had no idea what had happened in the years she was not around. She didn’t think it was safe to give her real name. “Elena. My name is Elena Pine. I’m the new third year student transferring from…” Lena bit her bottom lip, trying her hardest to name a school that was recognizable. “From Ilvermony under my _mother’s_ recommendation.” She stared into Albus Dumbledore’s eyes, trying to convey a silent message.  
The old wizard gave her a subtle nod, regaining his composure. “Of course, yes. Please come up, Miss Pine, for your sorting.”  
  
Lena nodded, mouthing a silent thank you to the headmaster, and made her way as the rest of the professors managed to hide their surprise. After sending Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts, out to fetch the Sorting Hat once more, Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head and immediately, Lena heard the hat chuckling. “Back again?”  
  
“Apparently,” the thirteen-year-old replied, rolling her eyes. “I would appreciate it if you place me back to Gryffindor.”  
  
“Are you sure? Not many would be given the second chance you received.”  
  
Lena laughed, shaking her head as she took the moment to scan the crowd. As usual, the students were all sitting according to their houses. She watched the students staring at her, unable to hide the curiosity that shone in their eyes. It seemed they were in the middle of a feast, but the food in front of them were long forgotten. She wondered if her godson was here; if he had survived living with Sirius Black. “Honestly, getting a second chance at _life_ is probably better than getting a second chance at _sorting_.”  
  
“Indeed, indeed.” The hat agreed in its raspy voice. “You did do great things as I have predicted in Gryffindor. Then, let’s return the true lioness back to her pride. Gryffindor!”  
  
She took the hat off her head and returned it to Professor McGonagall, leaning in to whisper to her. “I hope you don’t mind me returning to the lion’s den, Professor.”  
  
The stern woman smiled, her watery gaze making Lena’s own heart swell up in joy. “I would never say no to you, Miss Pine.”  
  
“Thank you,” Lena replied, forcing herself to walk away. She blinked a few times, hoping the tears wouldn’t fall. The young black-haired girl moved to the Gryffindor table and sat at the edge, introducing herself to a few of the first years. It was obvious that people wanted to know more about her, but for now, she had nothing to say to them. She didn’t have the option of making a mistake now. 

  


Lena rushed over to Professor Dumbledore’s office as soon as the welcome feast ended. After all, she didn’t need a prefect to show her where the Gryffindor dormitory was because she knew this place like no one else had. She was friends with the Marauders. Lena wanted to get her answers. She had no time to talk to anyone else. She burst into his office and found herself staring into the eyes of several different professors.  
  
“Miss Pine,” Dumbledore greeted.  
  
Lena clucked her tongue, rubbing the back of her neck as she noticed the suspicion and surprise in everyone’s eyes. Yes, it made sense for them to be wary of her. She would have done the same. But she didn’t have time to broach this meeting with pleasantries and niceties, and it wouldn’t be her to do so. She crossed her arms over her chest and scanned the room. Albus Dumbledore looked the same as ever, which she was thankful for. He still had the look of mirth and amusement in his curious eyes. Professor Minerva McGonagall had a stern expression on her face but if one had looked closer, one could easily spot the hopeful look in her eyes. Professor Filius Flitwick looked like he had been crying, though from joy or sadness, Lena did not know. Professor Pomona Sprout gave her a nod with a kind smile on her face. There were two men in the room that looked familiar and yet, Lena couldn’t say for sure who they were. One of them was dressed entirely in black with greasy shoulder-length black hair and dark eyes. The other one was tall and lanky with tired eyes and a thin, narrow face.  
  
The tall man moved closer, placing his hand on her cheek. Lena felt a sudden jolt at his touch. Her eyes widened as she recognized who he was. “Remus?”  
  
“Lena, y-you’re _alive_! And young?”  
  
Lena stared into Remus’ kind eyes as she wrapped her arms around him to give him a tight hug. “What happened to you, Remus? You look awful!” She didn’t even try to wipe her tears away this time. She was glad to see that Remus had survived the war, assuming it had ended. Her heart throbbed at the thoughts of Lily and James.  
  
A wry smile formed on his face. “I grew older,” he answered simply.  
  
Lena shook her head, forcing a smile onto her face. “Better than growing younger, though.”  
  
“We thought you died, Elizabeth,” Professor McGonagall interrupted. Lena turned around to face her favourite professor and enveloped the older woman into a hug. “After James and Lily’s deaths, we had feared the worst.”  
  
“I thought I died too,” Lena replied, realizing that she would have died at the last moment if the killing curse had hit her. “But when I woke up, I found myself here.” She rubbed her eyes, enjoying the momentary comfort she received from being in the older woman’s arms. It reminded her of being with Lily. The auburn-haired witch always did give the best hugs. A muffled sob escaped her. She needed to know what happened, and she needed to tell them what she had done. She needed to know if they caught the man responsible for the Potters’ death. “Did you get him?” Her voice, thick with tears, came out in a whisper. “Did you get him? The… the rotten, betraying, sneaky, talentless _rat_ who sold Lily and James to Voldemort?”  
  
The man clad in black responded in a drawl, “we have captured Sirius Black.”  
  
Lena froze, her entire body turning cold at that statement. “What?”  
  
“Severus,” Dumbledore chastised. “Do not-”  
  
Lena turned to look at Severus Snape. She didn’t recognise him after all these years. But right now, Severus did not matter. She needed to know what he meant. “No,” she interrupted Dumbledore. “Sirius is _innocent_.” She took a deep breath as all eyes turned to her. “Let me… let me explain what happened.”  
  
Lena began by letting them know that the Potters, Sirius, and herself had met a week before the Potters met their end. Sirius had the idea to transfer the Secret Keeper to Peter Pettigrew. He had figured that nobody would have suspected the _weak, talentless boy_. But they had been played. He had been working as a double agent for Voldemort and he had betrayed their trust. As Lena realised what had happened, she went to look for the coward but ended up walking into a trap.  
  
“Four Death Eaters emerged from where they hid behind the thick trees,” she shook her head, a smirk on her face. “I could have taken them on, you know? I was used to it—used to fighting. But I had to warn Sirius. He had to take my godson to safety.”  
  
Dumbledore leaned forward in his seat, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Show us your Patronus, Miss Pine.” He ordered. Lena scrunched up her nose, feeling exasperated that he would still suspect her of falsehoods, but she did as he asked. A beautiful silvery wisp took the form a flying phoenix and it flew around the room, touching each of the occupants with a light tap of its beak. “If what you have said is true, Elizabeth, then we have sent the wrong man to Azkaban for the past twelve years.”  
  
Lena staggered, feeling faint as she did when she first arrived in the future. “Sirius is in Azkaban?!” The young brunette squeaked out, pressing her hand on her forehead. “Fucking idiots,” she muttered.  
  
Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes, “language, Miss Pine.”  
  
“Sorry, professor,” Lena mumbled, looking absolutely unapologetic. “And my godson? Surely you wouldn’t have sent him to Azkaban as well?”  
  
“No, no,” Dumbledore clarified. “He was living with Lily’s sister and her family.”  
  
Lena closed her eyes and rubbed her temple, taking a deep breath as she made her way over to a chair. “I need a drink.” She shook her head. “And then I’m going to rescue Sirius. Yes, yes, that’s what I should do,” she mumbled to herself, though everyone else could clearly hear her.  
  
Remus placed a comforting hand on Lena’s shoulder. “Come now, Lena, why don’t you go ahead and get some rest for tonight. I’m sure you have time tomorrow.”  
  
“Right,” Lena reluctantly agreed. “You’re right as always, Remus. I need… I need sleep.”  
  
“Why don’t you stay with me tonight?” Remus offered, taking Lena’s hands in his. He had thought he had lost everyone he loved. He had lost James, Lily, Sirius, and Peter. When Lena showed up, it was like a miracle and he refused to let this miracle be lost ever again.  
  
Severus narrowed his eyes. “No, she will be safer with me.” Severus Snape stared at his old childhood friend from where he stood in the corner. Much like Lily, Elizabeth Lena Pine had been a close friend of his. He was just as devastated by the loss of her life and then for her to suddenly appear again, it was unsettling and yet, it was comforting all the same. He had noticed the looks of adoration in Lupin’s eyes and Severus refused to lose to the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.  
  
“Neither of you will be taking Miss Pine,” Professor McGonagall interrupted, her lips pressed together in a thin line. “You are both professors at Hogwarts now and you will behave as such.” She took Lena into her arms and started walking off. “I will be taking Miss Pine with me. If you’ll excuse us, I bid you all a good night.”  
  
Lena turned towards Professor McGonagall as soon as they left Dumbledore’s office and thanked her. “After everything that’s happened to them these past few years… I can imagine they must want to be overprotective of me, but honestly,” she scrunched up her nose, “I don’t think I can put up with that right now.”  
  
“I know, Miss Pine,” McGonagall said. Then, with a smile on her face, “it is good to have you back.”  
  
“I wished I could say that it’s good to be back, Professor. I honestly wished I could.” Her eyes glazed over as she reminisced about walking down these halls with the talented, kind auburn-haired witch by her side. What would Lily Evans Potter do in this situation? Lena knew the answer though; she had to protect her godson and she had to find Sirius.


	3. First Day, Once More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! Here's a present from me! Well, at least I really hope that people will enjoy this present. Wishing everyone an amazing start to the new year!  This chapter is mostly still about filling in the gaps that was left out in the previous chapter. I hope to start on the more exciting stuff (basically the events of Prisoner of Azkaban) in maybe the next chapter or the following one after that. Thank you for reading!
> 
> P.S.: Some of the quotes and scenes are from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (US Edition). 
> 
> Spells used in this chapter (as explained on Harry Potter Wikia):
> 
> Expelliarmus: Disarming charm. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything except Elizabeth Lena Pine and the story plot.

**1st September 1993**  
  
Dumbledore leaned forward, staring at the remaining professors that stayed in his office. “I trust that each and every one of you will not leak all that was said out of this room.” It wasn’t a question; it was an order that everyone knew to agree to. After all, if word got out that Elizabeth Lena Pine was still alive, the young woman would find herself in a very precarious and dangerous situation. It wasn’t to say that she couldn’t defend herself, but it was true that at the tender age of thirteen, it made sense that she might not be as she used to be. Oh, how will the Death Eaters laugh? One of the best aurors that the wizarding world has ever seen degraded into being a teenager again.  
  
Severus Snape left the room, silently stewing over everything that was revealed. According to Lena, Peter Pettigrew was the person responsible for the…the _deaths_. The Potions master clenched his fists. It was a pity that Pettigrew was killed by Black. If Severus had the chance… well, he might have done something Dumbledore would have disapproved. As he made his way over to the dungeons, Severus glanced around the hallways, keeping an eye out for the black-haired troublemaker. Lena was never good at leaving things alone. It wouldn’t have surprised him if she was found missing the next day. He shook his head, hoping that she did mature from their time at Hogwarts. A dry chuckle escaped his lips. Perhaps it would be the same day that Bellatrix Lestrange would stop obsessively loving the dark lord incapable of love. It would never happen. 

  


**2nd September 1993**  
  
Lena made slow, easy steps over to the Great Hall for breakfast. It had been a long while since she had a meal in the Great Hall. The night before didn’t count since she barely managed to stomach a piece of dinner roll. Of course, that just meant her growling stomach forced her to wake up that morning. She slipped out of the Gryffindor Common Room with the clear intention of eating and then heading to classes. She knew, for a fact, that Severus and Remus would have been absolutely proud of her. If only they knew that attending her classes was the only way for her to keep a close watch on her godson. Judging by the year she landed in, she figured Harry had to be in the same year as her and with her back in Gryffindor, she was bound to bump into him at some point.  
  
But before that, she needed to get used to the fact that she was going to eat breakfast alone. No Lily Evans Potter. No James Potter. No Sirius Black. No Remus Lupin. She repeated those names in her mind as she stepped into the Great Hall, her left hand curling over the wand in her pocket. But breakfast in Hogwarts was not complete without some silly childish drama. Lena’s lips curled into a smirk as she heard some interesting conversation. She stood at the entrance, glancing at the Gryffindor table and the Slytherin table.  
  
“Hey, Potter!” the pug-faced girl from the Slytherin table shrieked. “Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! Woooo!”  
  
Lena raised her eyebrow. Someone was picking on her godson. She could just hear it now. _Lena, don’t tell me you’re going to just take that! Teach those Slytherins a lesson while you’re at it!_ James Potter would have yelled those words, a smug grin on his face as he waited for her calculated response. She made her way to the Slytherin table. It amused her when the Great Hall grew hushed as all eyes turned to look at her again.  
  
“What do you want? Are you lost, _lion_?” The same pug-faced girl taunted, her nose upturned as though she was some grand goddess.  
  
Lena just continued smirking, crossing her arms over her chest. This seemed to cause a rumble of whispers throughout the Great Hall. Lena knew that the young Slytherin was now unsettled and uneasy, but it didn’t seem like she would have backed down. Lena glanced to the side and noticed a platinum blond boy sitting near her. The pug-faced girl kept gazing at him, as though… Lena realized then, the Slytherin girl was seeking the boy’s approval. So, the real problem was the blond boy who looked an awful lot like Lucius Malfoy.  
  
“Hey! I’m talking to you!” The Slytherin girl shrieked again.  
  
Lena laughed. “Is that so? I don’t speak banshee. Honestly, everyone here must have lost their appetite, what with having to hear your voice this early in the morning.” She watched as the girl pulled her wand out. “ _Expelliarmus_!” The Slytherin girl’s wand flew out of her hand and slid under the Slytherin table.  
  
“Miss Pine!” The familiar voice of Severus Snape echoed through the Great Hall as he hurried over, his robes fluttering behind him. “What-”  
  
“Professor, this girl-” The Lucius Malfoy-lookalike tried to interrupt.  
  
“Severus,” Lena cut in, a mirthful smile on her face. “Good morning.”  
  
“Professor,” Severus Snape corrected his childhood friend, though he didn’t seem as enthused about being called as such by her.  
  
Lena nodded. “Professor Severus, then.” She noticed Severus’ mouth starting to twitch, though into a scowl or into a smirk, she did not know. “As you know, _professor_ , I am not a fan of bullying. So, I just had to remove that threat from happening because this girl from Slytherin was pulling her wand out at me and it was my right to defend myself.”  
  
“Indeed,” the greasy-haired professor agreed. “Miss Parkinson, collect your wand and dismiss yourself from the Great Hall at once. I will not tolerate your behaviour and if you had harmed Miss Pine, you would be serving detention for a week.”  
  
“But-!” Parkinson tried, but with one stern glare from Professor Severus Snape and the look of disgust from the Malfoy boy’s face, she begrudgingly did as she was told.  
Lena cleared her throat, “Professor Severus, you’re forgetting something.”  
  
Severus Snape looked at the slow-forming grin on Lena’s face. With a sigh, “and five points will be taken from Slytherin.” The Great Hall erupted in another bout of hushed whispers as the students gestured frantically while others kept a hand over their mouth to keep from laughing. Severus turned his attention back to Lena and nodded. “Walk with me, Miss Pine.”  
  
Lena walked beside the Potions professor, glancing at the Gryffindor table to search for Harry Potter. As soon as she did, she bit her tongue to stop herself from gasping. Harry was the spitting image of James and she didn’t know whether she should be proud or annoyed that James’ son could have passed as his twin. Then, she smiled. “His eyes… they look like-”  
  
“Like Lily’s,” Severus nodded. “The only thing he inherited from her, sadly.”  
  
She laughed, lightly brushing her hand over his to show she didn’t find any offense to that. Lena did love James. He was one of her closest friends, but he got a little annoying at times.  
  
Lena took a seat beside Severus Snape. She wasn’t sure if she took Remus’ seat or Professor Sprout’s, but she figured it didn’t matter as long as she looked worried, like Professor Severus Snape was about to give her a month’s worth of detention. She glanced at the Gryffindor table again, noticing the number of ginger-haired students chatting with their friends. The Weasley children, then. Arthur and Molly must have done an excellent job with their children. She had seen the Weasley twins consoling her young godson before she had approached the Parkinson girl. But she had no idea that Molly had a daughter.  
  
“I’m surprised,” Severus interrupted her thoughts, raising his eyebrow at the younger girl. “Did you finally grow up a little, Le- Miss Pine?”  
  
Lena grinned, before grabbing a piece of toast and slathering butter over it. “We all had to grow up, Severus. Children of war like ourselves… We didn’t have a choice, now did we?” Then, she leaned back on her seat, taking a huge bite of the toast. “Now, tell me, I’ve been really curious…” She moved closer to Severus, as though sharing a secret, “how innocent are the students? Can I curse?”  
  
Severus stared. “Terribly innocent,” he deadpanned.  
  
Lena took another toast in her hand and stood up. “Perfect, I’ll start by defiling the minds of the older students,” she teased. 

  


Lena slipped into Transfiguration class, giving the older witch a small smile. It seemed using magic and having a conversation with Severus Snape helped lift her mood. A bit of familiarity never did hurt anyone before. As Professor McGonagall returned her smile with an amused smile of her own, Lena knew that Minerva McGonagall had already heard what had happened. Maybe there was something more to that smile, though.  
  
As the lecture began, Lena glanced behind to see a queasy-looking Harry Potter and several downtrodden students. From Professor McGonagall’s irritated expressions, Lena knew she wasn’t the only one noticing the stifling tension in the room. They were acting as though someone died, though they might not have had much experience with death yet.  
  
"Really, what has got into you all today?" Professor McGonagall asked, staring around at the students. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."  
  
In unison, everybody's heads turned toward Harry again. Lena furrowed her eyebrows together. Had something happened without her knowing? She had thought it was enough to just eliminate the Parkinson problem, but apparently, something else must have happened in the time between breakfast and Transfiguration class. More insults from the Slytherins, perhaps? Or was it something else? Didn’t she hear something about dementors from that Parkinson girl? Although, Lena frowned, dementors didn’t belong in Hogwarts while she was a student.  
  
A bushy-haired girl broke the silence, raising her hand. "Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and --"  
  
"Ah, of course," the professor replied. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"  
  
Lena heard a lot about the Divination professor, Sybill Trelawney, from Sirius Black and James Potter while they were still students at Hogwarts. Lily and herself had opted out of Divination, though Lena just went along with whatever classes Lily fancied taking. The Marauders, on the other hand, took Divination for an easy grade. She remembered the moment they were let out of Divination and James and Sirius started joking about the Grim they had seen in Sirius’ cup. If only Professor Trelawney knew about Sirius’… _other form_.  
  
"Me," Harry responded. Lena looked at the worried expression on his face. Perhaps, he was more like Lily, taking things to heart instead of brushing it off. Oh, Severus, how wrong you are. Harry received more than just Lily’s eyes. Lena rested her head on her hand, with her elbow supporting all the weight.  
  
"I see," Professor McGonagall finally said. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues -" Professor McGonagall paused, seemingly realizing that she went on an impassioned speech.  
  
With everyone’s eyes on her, Professor McGonagall glanced at everyone, pausing a little on young Harry. Lena looked at the boy. He seemed surprised and… maybe a hint of annoyance, though Lena wasn’t able to say for sure.  
  
"Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney-" Professor McGonagall stopped again, and then added, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."  
  
Professor McGonagall continued with the rest of the class, teaching them about animagi and the dangers of attempting it. Right before it was lunch time, Professor McGonagall gave them their homework. “And Miss Pine, would you please stay? I’m afraid I will need some of your time.”  
  
“Of course, professor,” Lena replied, a warm smile on her own face. As the students flittered out of the classroom, she walked up to the front of the classroom and laughed. “It has been several years since I’ve been in school and still, Professor Trelawney does that? James and Sirius had a good laugh about that.”  
  
The older woman quirked an eyebrow, her lips pursed. “I don’t believe Mr. Potter felt the same as they did.”  
  
“No, I don’t suppose so. He seemed to have gotten that from Lily. I honestly hope he didn’t get her temper too.” Lena answered, looking around the room and imagining where everyone used to sit. The Marauders were always together. So were Lily and Lena. Then, right behind them were Alice and Frank Longbottom. It was no surprise when they had gotten married. Lena blinked, the images fled from her mind as she turned her attention back to her professor. “Is there something you needed me for?”  
  
“Have you any interest in returning to your old position as chaser?” Professor McGonagall asked.  
  
“Are there any good players?” If they had good players, Lena would rather opt out of playing. She needed to let the younger students have their turn at the game. She shook her head, shivering at that thought. She wasn’t that much older than them!  
  
“Mr. Potter plays as the team’s seeker.”  
  
Lena had glanced up at the older woman and knew that the trap had been sprung. Allowing herself a smile, she expected no less from Professor McGonagall. “When will the quidditch try-outs be held?” 

  


Soon after agreeing to be one of the chasers on the Gryffindor quidditch team, Professor McGonagall had informed her that Professor Dumbledore was looking for her. Maybe the headmaster wanted to deign her with the answers she sought. She made her way through the crowds of students heading to their next class after lunch. It was a pity that she had to miss Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures class, but she had been excited to hear that he was finally being recognized. Her flat shoes were almost soundless against the stone floors, unlike the heeled shoes she had worn as an auror.  
  
Spotting the gargoyle, she uttered the password and waited as stairs formed that led to Dumbledore’s office. She greeted Albus Dumbledore and Fawkes as soon as she stepped into the room. As she walked closer, she gave a slight nod at the portraits, which some of the old headmasters and headmistresses in the portraits returned.  
“Miss Pine, how are you feeling today?”  
  
“I’m feeling alive and healthy,” she replied, raising an eyebrow. “And depending on your answers, I might feel better or worse.”  
  
“Then,” Professor Dumbledore mused, “let us begin.” He gestured at Lena to take a seat and she did. “It was declared that the war was over… that Voldemort was defeated by young Harry Potter. But,” he looked at her meaningfully, “you and I both know that Voldemort is not gone as many assume and believe.”  
  
She nodded. “You think he will return? That the… the prophecy… it was about James and Lily’s son?” At Professor Dumbledore’s nod, Lena leaned back and crossed her legs. “Then, we must prepare immediately. Train my godson before it’s too late.”  
  
Dumbledore chuckled, “always an impatient one, Elizabeth. Surely you remember being a teenager? We must let the boy live his life. Let him enjoy it while he can.” Despite Lena’s frown, Dumbledore carried on. “Tell me, has anyone told you about our new neighbours?”  
  
“You mean the dementors?” Dumbledore nodded, and Lena scowled in response. “That Parkinson girl might have mentioned it, but who knows what she said with her shrieking. If, as the Ministry believed, the war is over, then why in Merlin’s name would they send _dementors_ to a _school_? Are they barking mad?” Then, a horrible thought crossed her mind. Dementors were stationed at Azkaban while she was an auror. She remembered her numerous visits to that sickening place with the bone-chilling tension and cold in the air. “Who escaped from Azkaban?”  
  
Dumbledore closed his eyes, a sigh escaped his lips. “I’m afraid, the innocent one has escaped.”  
  
“Oh, Sirius…you fucking idiot,” she mumbled under her breath. Why would he risk everything to escape from Azkaban? What could he have wanted from Hogwarts? Did the Ministry- Her scowl deepened. Of course, they did! They must have thought that Sirius wanted to kill his only godson. She stood up so fast that her chair skidded back a few paces as she headed for the door.  
  
Dumbledore’s eyes seemed to twinkle from where he sat. “Everything in moderation, Miss Pine,” he warned, a playful tone as his eyes followed the young girl’s back. Though he would never admit it, Albus Dumbledore had a fondness for Elizabeth Lena Pine’s methods when it came to dealing with that small group of four talented young wizards. It was a pity that he wouldn’t witness it in person. 

  


Lena was trudging through the hallways. The other students who did not have class moved out of the way as she passed them by. If Sirius Black made it back to Hogwarts, he had to have recognized their godson, which meant he had to be keeping close to Harry. But this was a man who spent twelve years in Azkaban. Did he know how to keep himself fed and hydrated? Was he warm? Her mind was consumed with her thoughts and she didn’t even notice until it was too late. A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an empty classroom, shutting the door behind her with a firm locking sound.  
  
She pressed her palm over her mouth after a weird yelp escaped her lips and narrowed her eyes at the chuckling figure in front of her. She reached over, smacking the man gently over his shoulder. “I thought only James and Sirius did something like that, Remus,” she commented, her lips forming a bright smile. She pulled the older man into a hug. “I’m glad you’re alive, Moony.”  
  
“I am glad that you are too, Lena,” he pulled her over to the empty seats. As they both took a seat, Lena sighed. Remus’ lips curled into a sad smile, “you’ve heard then.”  
She nodded. “Sirius… he was always a reckless one. Smart, though, when he actually tries.”  
  
“After…After James and Lily’s death, the Ministry of Magic found Sirius in a crowded street. They said he used a spell and caused an explosion, killing twelve muggles and… the report stated, he killed Peter Pettigrew with that spell,” Remus informed. Lena gazed into his kind eyes. He did look tired and thinner than he had been. The monthly transformation must have taken a toll on him. Then, there was the time he spent undercover with the other werewolves. What was Dumbledore thinking? Sending poor Remus all on his own. Remus must have noticed her looks because he smiled. “I’m fine, Lena. Nothing you need to wo-”  
  
“And I _will_ worry, Remus Lupin,” she interrupted. “Have you been taking Wolfsbane?”  
  
“Severus Snape has agreed to brew the potion for me. It was kind of him,” he answered in a diplomatic tone.  
  
Lena raised her eyebrow, “right… and I’m part fairy.”  
  
Remus chuckled again, a grin on his face. “Sometimes I think you are,” Remus teased. “A little flighty, maybe?”  
  
Lena laughed, poking Remus on the nose. “I think you mean I’m as _agile_ as one.”  
  
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Miss Pine,” he replied, the grin on his face widening. “Are you planning on attending my class this week?”  
  
“Defence Against the Dark Arts?” The older man nodded. “Sounds like fun! I’m sure you’ll be much better than that git from our second year.”  
  
They sat in silence, enjoying each other’s presence. Lena knew she had learned a lot, but there was still too much she had no idea about. She knew she needed to sort through it all and she knew she had to plan a course of action. With Sirius Black on the run from the Ministry of Magic and from dementors, she wondered if she could clear his name from whatever crimes they assumed he committed. She glanced at Remus and had an inkling feeling that he was hiding something from her. But what could be so… dangerous that Remus thought it best to keep hidden? And despite her own desires to get revenge, she didn’t think Sirius would have willingly killed twelve muggles just to avenge James and Lily’s death. The one question that haunted her mind since her conversation with Albus Dumbledore had to be this: what would be a strong enough of a reason for Sirius Black to risk his life? The man had always been loyal to the Potters. Which meant…was someone threatening their godson? Voldemort, perhaps? She shook her head.  
  
Lena had no idea, but for now, she had to bide her time and think things through. She wasn’t Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody’s auror partner for no reason, after all.


	4. Fears, Friends, and Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I updated this story, and I apologized for that. I was stuck and kept adding and removing scenes from the chapter. Just a little heads up, some of the quotes are from the book (Prisoner of Azkaban) and from the movie as well. I was wondering if anyone would be interested in short chapters about the Lena's life during the Marauder era, or the small information that's already present is enough? If the answer is yes to the former, then I might consider inserting chapters with the past in them. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy this chapter! To make up for the time, this chapter is pretty long (19 pages!). Let me know what you think! 
> 
> Spells used in this chapter (as explained on Harry Potter Wikia):
> 
> Riddikulus: a charm that is used in defence against a Boggart  
> Waddiwasi: the incantation of a charm that can be used to shoot a small, soft mass of whatever the caster so desires at the target or victim.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything except Elizabeth Lena Pine

_Home, sweet home_.

The Room of Requirement had been a hidden treasure during her years in Hogwarts. It was her safe haven from anyone and everyone when she needed the reprieve. She glanced around the empty room with mirrors located in nearly every corner. She raised her wand and watched herself in the mirrors. Her form looked good. Her body remembered most of it then. But was her magic as destructive as she was at twenty-one?  

She didn’t need anyone to tell her. She had seen the looks in Severus’, Remus’, Dumbledore’s, McGonagall’s, Flitwick’s and Sprout’s eyes. The worry was evident, especially after she clearly made herself an enemy of the Slytherin house on her first day back at Hogwarts. Honestly, she didn’t think too much of it. They were still just students without much real-world fighting experiences. The same could be said for the students in the other houses though. But she knew, if Voldemort was truly still out there, bidding his time, then these children will no longer be naïve and innocent. They had to grow up, just as she had…

_We must let the boy live his life. Let him enjoy it while he can._ Dumbledore’s voice echoed in her mind.

Was it wrong of her to want to prepare Harry for what was to come? If it had been her, she would have loved the extra guidance. After all, Sirius, James, Lily, Remus, Alice, Frank, and herself were all thrust into the fighting without much experience. Only two of them came out of it relatively unscathed, Sirius was wrongfully imprisoned, James and Lily were gone at such a young age, and Lena didn’t even know what had happened to Frank and Alice. The black-haired witch sighed. Did she really want to know? She shook her head. Perhaps Albus Dumbledore was right… Perhaps she did forget how to be young and carefree.

She faced the dummy in the middle of the room and started practicing a few of the more basic spells and charms, such as the disarming charm, the stunning spell, and even the levitation charm for good measure. _Swish and flick_ , a voice in her head reminded her—sounding exactly like Professor Flitwick. Good, she still had an excellent grasp on those spells. She knew she could perform the Patronus charm, which was one of the higher level defensive charms. She had feared that after finding Lily’s still body, she might not have been able to cast her Patronus, but thankfully, she was able to. But was it for her sake or for Harry’s? She didn’t want to think about it.

By the time she felt satisfied with her progress, she found that the sun had risen. She moved through the corridor, keeping her back against the wall and an eye out for the vengeful Argus Filch. It reminded her of that one time she had almost been caught after a nightly training session and the Fat Lady had decided to go on a walk. The Marauders had pulled her into an empty room and, Lena smiled, she had knocked the back of her head on James’ forehead. The arrogant boy had brought it up every chance he got. Why, James Potter had saved poor Elizabeth Lena Pine and was rewarded with an ugly bruise on his forehead.

“Wandering the corridors at this hour, Miss Pine?” A familiar voice spoke, stopping Lena from taking another step. She turned around to face the depressingly-dressed Potions master.

She nodded, offering the man a smile, “you know me, Severus. It’s not an easy task, sleeping that is.” She looked away, avoiding his gaze. “I’m sure it’s the same for you.”

“I see your observational skills have not deterred over time,” he mused, as they both started walking in the direction of the Great Hall. “I-”

“Don’t.” She interrupted, glancing at him from the side. “I know you wished it was Lily instead of me, Severus. I know… I know if you could choose, you wished it was her that was back from the dead. I’m just a horrible substitute. So, stop apologizing about how you feel.” She placed her hand over his. “Because I feel the same way.”

“Le-”

“Severus,” Lena stopped walking and placed her hand on his cheek. She patted his cheek lightly. “I’m sorry- _no_ , let me speak. I’m sorry I was not there while you grieved her death, but now, it’s my turn. You owe me that much.” She knew much more than Severus Snape assumed. Lena knew who it was that tried to protect Lily, but she also knew how he had forsaken young Harry. But, even so, Severus Snape would still be one of her closest friends from her time at Hogwarts. She turned around and was about to leave Severus Snape behind, when she suddenly stopped with a sigh. “I just- I just want you to know that I forgave you a long time ago.” This time, she didn’t stop as she walked in the direction of the Gryffindor Common Room. Maybe a cold shower would help with her growing irritation.

xxx

Lena was, unfortunately, quite restless after that and could barely concentrate on her breakfast, earning her looks of concern from the professors seated at the high table. The other Gryffindor students kept glancing at her. Their curious gazes did nothing to alleviate her thoughts on everything that has happened. Was she wrong in the way she treated Severus Snape? Should she continue acting as a student when clearly she had already learned everything she could from her own years at Hogwarts? Shouldn’t she be looking for Sirius and finding a way to clear his name? Also, her lips curled into a smirk, she needed to yell at the man for being so reckless.

“You were amazing yesterday!” The sudden praise pulled Lena out of her thoughts. She looked next to her to find herself sandwiched by two red-headed twins.

“Yeah, tell us what’s your secret?” The twin on her right grinned while the one of her left winked at her.

Then, the twins exchanged a look and nodded. “But before that, welcome to Gryffindor!”

Lena laughed. If only they knew. She supposed the person that should welcome others to Gryffindor would have to be her, if age had anything to do with it. “And you are?”

“I’m Fred-”

“-and I’m George-”

“Weasley!” They finished their introduction together.

Another boy took a seat on the opposite side of them. The dark skinned, dreadlock-styled boy had a huge smile on his face. “And I’m Lee Jordan.”

Lena nodded, winking at them. “Elena Pine, at your service.” Then, she took a bite of her bacon as she watched the boys exchanging looks with one another “Are you planning to include me in some crazy plot of yours?” She took a huge gulp of apple juice, eyeing the boys.

Immediately, the twins feigned flabbergasted looks. They had their hand on their chest with their mouth slightly agape. “What? Us? We would never!” Lee’s shoulders shook as he laughed at the twins’ antics. Lena pointedly gestured at the giddy Lee. “Lee! How could you?” Fred asked, pretending to be wiping tears from the corner of his eye.

Lee placed both of his hands up. “S-sorry, mate!” He wheezed out as laughter made it harder for the poor boy to talk.

Lena took the opportunity to stand up. She grabbed her bag. “Well then, I have to get to Potions.” She patted both boys on their shoulder. “Lovely to meet you, Fred, George,” then she grinned at Lee, “and you too, Lee.” She turned and walked out of the Great Hall, barely avoiding a worried-looking Parkinson. Lena shrugged her shoulder and continued walking in the direction of the dungeons.

Lena entered the classroom and she met Severus Snape’s gaze. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, taking in a deep breath. She opened her eyes a moment later and offered her childhood friend a small smile. From where she stood, she could still see how his stone-like expression softened at the smile she had given him. Her heart clenched as her mind wandered off to when they were still children living in Cokeworth. Shaking her head, she forced herself to stop reminiscing. She took a seat beside a round-faced Gryffindor boy, who seemed to be terrified of being in the class.

She tapped the boy on the shoulder, giving him a warm smile. “Hello, I’m Elena, though I’d prefer it if you called me Lena.”

“It’s you!” The poor boy squeaked out, widening his eyes as he grabbed onto the table to stop himself from falling backwards. “Y-you fought Pansy Parkinson!” the boy had exclaimed, gaining the attention of their other classmates.

She glanced at Severus, who was staring pointedly at his book for some reason. She didn’t have time to wonder why as the other students started clamouring to introduce themselves to her. She smiled at them and chuckled. She knew what was happening; she was the new toy for everyone to be fascinated with. It didn’t help that her old habit of arguing with Slytherins did not die. But at the very least, she learned the names of a few of the students. Seamus Finnigan, with his impish looks and messy clothes, seemed like a fun person to be around. Apparently, he had a thing for explosions. Lena laughed as Dean Thomas recounted Seamus’ first year experiment of trying to turn water into rum. Well, it didn’t work, that was for sure. Dean Thomas was tall with a cheerful attitude and seemed to be someone who loves sports. The young ladies of Gryffindor included Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, and Hermione Granger. Lena had recognized Hermione as the bushy-haired girl who spoke up during Transfiguration. Then, she looked around the room, realizing that her godson and the red-headed Weasley were running a little late. She pressed her lips together. Lily would have been utterly exasperated by her son’s tardiness if she were still alive, though James would have just shrugged it off.

Lena turned her attention back to round-faced boy, “and who are you?”

His cheeks turned pink as his words come out in a mumble, “N-Neville Longbottom!”

Lena blinked. A Longbottom? She stared at him. Could he be? Perhaps… he could be. “Are you… by any chance, related to Frank and Alice?”

The boy’s eyes widened. “….my parents…”

“Sorry, what?” Lena leaned in closer, not noticing how the boy’s cheeks grew more flushed.

“They’re my parents.”

Lena smiled. _Are_. The boy said they are his parents. That meant Frank and Alice were still alive. She hadn’t even realized her heart was beating fast as she waited for Neville’s reply. Maybe Lena hadn’t lost everyone she knew then. She clenched her fist. Some of them did survive the war.

“Lena?” A hand was waving in front of her face. Neville’s face was suddenly close to hers. She blinked and leaned back. Neville must have noticed because his entire face turned pink as he stammered his apology. “C-class’s starting!”

Lena turned her attention to Severus Snape, barely noticing Harry and his ginger-haired friend slipping into their seats. Severus began by questioning, though Lena would argue that it was actually an interrogation, the students, again she would argue that it was mostly the Gryffindor students, about the Shrinking Solution. Soon, the students were all preparing their ingredients to make their own shrinking solution. Lena prepared them with practiced hands and got right into creating the solution. Seven years of Potions with Professor Horace Slughorn had to count for something. That, and having Lily’s and Severus’ help and guidance turned Lena from a klutz into someone who will probably not poison anyone with her potions. She finished her potion and turned her attention to Neville. His hands seemed to be shaking as he tried to peel his Shrivelfig. The poor boy was exactly like his father at potions. Well, it helped Frank when Alice was around. Maybe Lena had to be Neville’s Alice for some time.

She placed her hand on his and gently removed the Shrivelfig from his hold. She inspected it and turned to smile at Neville. She placed the purple plant back into Neville’s hands and covered his hands with hers as she guided him in removing the skin. Neville gave her a smile in thanks, moving on to peel his other Shrivelfigs as Lena locked eyes with Severus. Severus gave her a frown and the black-haired witch could only shrug in response. Again, she knew, they had another disagreement.

Halfway through the class, the Lucius Malfoy-lookalike sauntered into the class, his right arm in bandages and a sling. Lena furrowed her brows at the sight of Parkinson babying the boy, a smirk appearing on her face as she realized why Parkinson was so worried earlier in the morning. The two Slytherins were accompanied by two other Slytherins of a bulkier build. What were they? Bodyguards? She shook her head. They had no chance of surviving a war if that was the case.

"Settle down, settle down," Severus interrupted his students, though he had done so kindly.

Lena watched as the platinum blond boy carried his cauldron to the table where Harry was seated.

"Sir," the injured one called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm—"

Severus stopped glancing at Lena, turning his gaze to the red-headed boy. "Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him.”

“I’ll do it!” Lena interrupted, already moving from her seat beside Neville to where Malfoy sat. So, he didn’t just look like Lucius Malfoy. He must have been the pompous man’s son. Lucius did not have any siblings, if Lena remembered correctly.

“You!” Malfoy hissed under his breath.

“Yes, me,” Lena replied, winking at the Weasley boy as he looked surprised at suddenly getting out of being forced to help Malfoy. Soon, the look of surprise gave way to a grin as he nodded at her. Even Harry had a smile on his face. Lena picked up Malfoy’s daisy roots and began cutting them and pretending to keep missing them. “Oh, wow, these sure are slippery!” She exclaimed, covering her mouth with her left hand as her right elbow knocked Malfoy’s Shrivelfigs to the floor. Lena watched from the corner of her eyes as most of the Gryffindor students were covering their own mouths to stop themselves from snickering, though Hermione Granger looked at her disapprovingly. The Slytherin students, on the other hand, were starting to glare at her.

Severus Snape sighed. “Miss Pine,” he warned.

“Sorry, professor. I mean, my old tutor _did_ say I am quite clumsy when it comes to potions,” she paused, letting out a long sigh, “but I _really_ wanted to help Malfoy after his _devastating_ injury.”

By this point, snickers started filling the room as Malfoy turned red from anger. Lena slipped her left hand into her pocket, ready for a fight if she needed to. Severus placed his hand on Lena’s head. “Indeed, you may have noble intentions, Miss Pine, but I have to ask that you refrain from helping Mr. Malfoy any further.” He turned his attention to Weasley. “Weasley, assist Malfoy.”

“Sorry,” Lena mouthed at the ginger-haired boy as she made her way back to her own seat, but the boy didn’t pay attention. Instead, he was glaring at Malfoy who went from being a three-year-old throwing a tantrum to looking extremely smug. The rest of potions class went by without much incident, though Lena was unable to eavesdrop on the heated conversation between her godson and Malfoy.

Lena walked behind her godson as they exited the dungeons.

"Where is she?" the ginger-haired boy asked, turning around to look for their bushy-haired friend when he noticed Lena. Instantly, the boy stopped walking, causing Harry to stop as well as the boys turned around fully to face her. “Oh! You’re that new girl!” the boy exclaimed. “Wicked cool what you did to Parkinson,” he extended his hand to shake hers. “I’m Ron,” he tilted his head to the side towards Harry, “and that’s Harry.”

Lena smiled, “Lena Pine.” She shook their hands and a warm feeling started to form in her chest. Her godson did quite a bit of growing since she was gone. Lily and James would have been so proud of him. She resisted the urge to touch the boy’s cheeks as she took a step back and nodded. Lena could see Hermione Granger panting as she rushed up the stairs. “Your friend is here.” Harry and Ron faced Hermione as Lena scrunched up her nose.

"How did you do that?" Ron asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"What?" Hermione was still trying to slow her breath as she tucked something down the front of her robes.

"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."

Two different places? Lena frowned. It was physically impossible for a single person to be at two places at once, unless… unless the person had the help of a time turner. Lena took off, hoping to find Minerva McGonagall while giving the trio a quick wave goodbye as they carried on their conversation.

xxx

Lena had knocked on Professor McGonagall’s door, and proceeded to enter without waiting for a response. The older woman was seated at her desk with a quill in her hand and an annoyed expression, though it turned to one of concern when she realized that it was Lena. The emerald-clad witch dropped her quill and leaned back on her seat.

“Is there something we need to discuss, Elizabeth?”

Lena took a seat, though her eyes wandered around the familiar office space. Professor McGonagall was a woman of habit, and it seemed the office didn’t look any different from Lena’s time as a student. She turned her attention back to her professor’s prodding gaze. “Was it wise, professor?” The black-haired witch pressed her lips together. It didn’t seem like a fantastic idea now that she was here, but she had to know. “Miss Hermione Granger has come into possession of a time turner. My question is, did you authorize it, and do you believe she is cautious enough?”

Professor McGonagall’s lips curled upwards into a small smile. “Do you know who Miss Granger reminded me of?”

Lena met the older woman’s gaze. “My guess would be Lily.”

“Precisely,” Professor McGonagall replied, “but that is not the complete answer, Miss Pine. Miss Granger has your knack for getting out of a tricky situation. What was it you said? Ah yes, _improvising_ your way.” Professor McGonagall placed her hand on Lena’s. “Now, I believe you should be getting food in you before your next class.”

Lena smiled and nodded. “Of course, professor.” The young witch stood up and was about to leave the room when Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.

“Do not give Professor Lupin a hard time, now,” the professor warned, an amused smile on her face.

Lena’s lips curled into a smirk as she saluted the older woman. “I’ll do my best.”

xxx

She had hoped it would not be a growing habit. Then again, she didn’t think Remus Lupin was capable of acting like James and Sirius when they were all younger. Remus had grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty classroom as she was on her way to _Remus’_ Defence Against the Dark Arts class, which begged the question: why was the professor taking his time getting there? She caught sight of the dark circles around his eyes; a frown replaced the amused smile on her face. Lena gave her close friend a questioning, worried glance, but Remus just shoved a newspaper into her hands.

 _The Daily Prophet_. Nothing good ever came out of the Daily Prophet. The front page had a glaring image of Sirius Black’s moving picture, portraying the man as someone crazed and insane. Lena bit her bottom lip as her eyes scanned the words. A muggle saw someone matching Sirius Black’s description and Lena realized it was true then: Sirius Black had plans to return to Hogwarts. Lena looked up to meet Remus’ gaze.

He sat on a desk, arms crossed over his chest as he heaved a sigh. “At this rate, Padfoot will be caught by the dementors and-”

“-it won’t happen.” Lena interrupted, tossing the newspaper down to the floor. Remus gave her a look of disbelief, but she refused to agree. “It won’t happen, Remus. I-I’ll just… I’ll go to the Ministry of Magic and clear-”

“-you can’t exactly tell them you’ve come back from the dead, Lena!”

“Then tell me!” Lena shouted, causing several books and scrolls to fly off the shelves. The black-haired witch took a deep breath and waved her wand, moving the books and scrolls back to its original position. “Tell me what to do to help him, Remus. It was- it was all _my_ fault that he ended up-”

Remus pulled Lena into a hug, rubbing her back in a soothing manner. “We’ll figure something out. Stop worrying.” The older man released Lena from his hold and took a step back. “Come on, let’s get to class before the students think the class is cancelled.”

Lena nodded. She walked out of the empty classroom, her robes billowing behind her. “Let’s try to redeem your reputation, Mr. Lupin,” the girl teased as she quickened her pace to the assigned classroom for Defence Against the Dark Arts. But Lena knew. She knew that she needed to find Sirius Black fast, before the dementors do, and to do that, she had to do it alone. The girl glanced at Remus. She didn’t want to destroy his life too.

Lena and Remus entered the classroom as all eyes turned to look at them. Lena took an empty seat beside Neville as the younger boy gave her a nervous smile. She returned it with an encouraging smile and they turned their attention back to their new DADA professor.

"Good afternoon," Remus greeted, a smile on his face. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

Lena noticed the expressions on the other students’ faces. It seemed they had their fair share of bad DADA professors as Lena had in her time. She shared a look with Remus as she knew he came to the same conclusion. The sounds of books and papers being jammed into bags were heard all around as the teenagers shuffled to their feet.

"Right then," Remus had said as he noticed everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

The students followed their professor out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in mid-air and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum. Lena’s lips turned upwards into a wry smile as they walked closer to Peeves. The poltergeist had a talent for causing trouble, and no matter what, he enjoyed chaos more than anything. It was always best to be prepared for anything when the mischievous spirit was found. The minute Peeves noticed Remus, he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.

"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin --"

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," Remus told the troublemaker with an amused smile on his face. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms."

However, Peeves paid no attention to Remus’ words. Instead, the poltergeist’s attention was zeroed in on the young black-haired witch that stood beside Remus Lupin. Peeves’ lips curled into a wide smirk as he dashed forward and threw himself at the girl. “Little Lena Pine’s back! Piney! Lil’ Piney and loony Lupin, sitting on a tree-”

Lena scrunched up her nose, noticing the curious gazes from her classmates. It was no wonder that Peeves recognized her, but she needed to convince the poltergeist that she wasn’t... well, that she wasn’t herself. She pulled the poltergeist off and was about to pull her wand out when Remus gave a small sigh and took out his wand.

"This is a useful little spell,” he informed the class. "Please watch closely." He said, _"Waddiwasi_! "and pointed it at Peeves. With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.

"Cool, sir!" Dean exclaimed, looking immensely impressed, as do the rest of the Gryffindor students.

"Thank you, Dean," Remus said. "Shall we proceed?"

The students followed behind their professor, their eyes shining with admiration after the little display of Remus’ magic skills. Lena smiled to herself. One, it was because she knew Remus had always been great as both a teacher and a wizard. Two, she realized that nobody seemed to be suspicious of what Peeves had said about her and Remus.

"Inside, please," the shabby-looking professor said, taking a step back and holding the door open for the students to file inside like the gentleman that he has been.

Professor Severus Snape frowned at the sight of students entering the staffroom. Lena caught sight of it and a wry smile appeared on her face. The black-haired witch stood in between the entrance where Remus was and the wooden table where Severus was with her arms crossed over her chest. As Remus made to close the door behind him, Severus stopped his former classmate.

"Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." The potions master got to his feet and strode past the class, his hand brushing over Lena’s hand gently as he moved past the girl. At the doorway, he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult."

Neville turned red at the statement and looked down at his feet as his shoulders slumped forward in disappointment. Lena placed her hand on the young boy’s shoulder and gave him a warm smile. “Don’t worry, Neville.”

Professor Lupin raised his eyebrows. "I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."

Severus Snape narrowed his eyes, but no other snide remarks escaped his lips as he shut the door behind him, leaving the class in the staffroom. While Remus walked over to an old wardrobe, Lena realized which dark creature the class would have to face. Although concerned, she knew that a practical lesson was what the class needed. After all, she took in the nervous looks and the uncertain way most of the students held their wand and she knew they needed a lot more practical experience in using magic. She looked away, feeling her heart clench as she thought of the possibility that Voldemort was still alive. The students needed help and practice and training. But how?

Lena shook her head and gazed at the wardrobe once more. She remembered her own boggart as she had faced them in their Fourth year. Unfortunately, her worst fears came to life and she had no idea what might have changed after that harrowing experience.  She glanced at Remus and noticed that he was giving her a small smile. He had his hand raised slightly, as though he wanted to reach out and pull her into a hug. She returned the smile and took a few steps back, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed.

"Now, then," Remus said, turning his attention back to his students. He beckoned the class toward the end of the room, where the old wardrobe stood. As the young DADA professor went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall. Lena allowed a small smirk onto her face as several students jumped backward in alarm. "Nothing to worry about," Remus tried to soothe the panicked students. "There's a boggart in there."

Unfortunately, this seemed to have the opposite effect as most of the students were either inching away from the wardrobe or eyeing it with trepidation. Though, muggleborn students, excluding Hermione Granger, seemed to have a look of confusion on their faces.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," Remus continued. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks -- I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice.” Then, he paused, regarding his students with a small smile. "So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a boggart?"

Hermione raised her hand, looking eager to impress the teacher.  "It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," Remus complimented the young bushy-haired witch. Even from the distance, Lena could tell that Hermione was positively glowing from Remus’ praise. _Just like Lily_ , she thought to herself.

Remus explained, “so the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears,” he paused, his eyes focused on the young bespectacled dark-haired wizard. “This means that we have a huge advantage over the boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"

Lena noticed her grandson looking startled at being called, but to her relief, Harry managed to answer Remus’ question. "Er -- because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be."

"Precisely," Remus offered Harry a smile. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake -- tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug.” Remus met Lena’s gaze, his lips quirked upwards into a wry grin as the both of them recalled the incident happening in their DADA class. “Not _remotely_ frightening.” He paused. “The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please ... _Riddikulus_!"

" _Riddikulus_!" the class repeated.

"Good," the young professor said. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville." The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville. Lena noticed the poor boy walking forward with shaky legs.  "Right, Neville," Remus gave the boy a reassuring smile. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," Remus said, an amused expression on his face.

Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape." Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Remus Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.

"Professor Snape... hmmm...yes. Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Yes," Neville squeaked out. "But, I don't want the boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me," Remus said, now smiling. "But I want you to picture her clothes, only her clothes, very clearly in your mind. Can you do that?"

Neville looked startled. He closed his eyes and started to say, “she carries a red handbag…"

“That’s fine. We don’t need to hear it. If you see it, we will. Now, when I open this wardrobe, Neville, here’s what I want you to do…” Remus leaned in close to Neville’s ear and whispered his instructions. Then, Remus took a step back. “You can do this, Neville.” Remus pointed his wand at the wardrobe’s door. "If Neville is successful, the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn. I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical...” He gave them all an encouraging smile. “Right then. Wand at the ready. One. Two. Three!”

A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville. Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes. " _R-r-riddikulus_! "Neville cried.

There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag. There was a roar of laughter from the students. Lena grinned at the sight of her childhood friend in the hideous clothing as Remus quickly shouted for the next person to keep the momentum going, "Parvati! Forward!"

Parvati stepped forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. Then, there was another sound of a crack, and the boggart changed into a bloodstained, bandaged mummy. The mummy turned its sightless face to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising-

" _Riddikulus_!" the young female Gryffindor shouted. The entire class watched as the mummy’s bandage unravelled from its feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.

"Seamus!" Remus called.

Several other students went up to face their own fears. Seamus’ fear of banshees, Dean’s fear of a disembodied living hand, and even Ron’s fear of a giant spider.

" _Riddikulus_!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet. He raised his wand, ready.

Lena was already on the move before then. She reached out and grabbed Remus’ wrist before he could approach the boggart. She shook her head first and then nodded in Harry’s direction. “Don’t worry,” she hissed at him with her wand out and ready if anything were to go wrong.

Remus gave a reluctant nod as everyone eyed the transformation of the boggart. To Lena’s relief and disappointment, the spider had changed into the familiar shadowed and bone-chilling form of a dementor. In that moment, Remus let out a relieved sigh and Harry’s eyes had met hers. She mouthed _Riddikulus_ at him and gave him a nod. James’ and Lily’s son should have no problem in dealing with a measly boggart.

“ _Riddikulus_!” The determination in Harry’s eyes reminded Lena of James’ own focus every time they had a quidditch match. Her lips quirked into a smirk as she knew nothing would deter the young Potter from his task. Some of the students had cringed at the sight of the dementor-shaped boggart, but after Harry had formed an image of the dementor turning bright pink, nobody could take it seriously and everyone began laughing at the confused boggart.

"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" Remus told Neville.

Crack! Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined. " _Riddikulus_!" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.

"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone.... Let me see... five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the boggart -- ten for Neville because he did it twice... and five to Hermione and an additional five to Harry for answering my questions correctly at the start of the class." The students, especially the ones who took on the boggart were beaming with pride at Professor Remus Lupin’s praise. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on boggarts and summarize it for me... to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

Remus placed his hand on Lena’s shoulder, “Miss Pine, I would like for you to stay for a short while. We need to discuss about your…” he paused, as though thinking of a good excuse.  “…former curriculum. Everyone else, you are dismissed.”

The students cleared out the staffroom, with the chattering of the boys about how cool and amazing they were at taking on their biggest fears. Even Neville had a bright smile and contributed to the conversation without much stuttering. Soon, the voices faded and only Lena and Remus remained in the room.

“How did you know-”

Lena shook her head. “I didn’t, actually. A dementor…” the young black-haired witch looked away, staring at the empty old wardrobe. “Fear of fear itself. Rather interesting.”

“You wanted to see You-Know-Who again.” Remus stated simply, giving her a disapproving look.

“I did,” she admitted, letting out a sigh. “Voldemort killed them, Remus. I plan to return the favour.” _For James and Lily_. And for everyone else.


	5. Author's Announcement

Hey everyone, I want to thank you guys for your patience these past few weeks. I know I haven't been updating in a while and I really am sorry to say that this is not a new chapter. Instead, I just wanted to explain the reasons for my hiatus and well, long story short, I was sick these past few weeks and it came one after another: sore throat, cough, cold, and fever. Though I could not write any new chapters for The Gift of Death, The Collection, and Second Time Around, I still wanted to keep writing something. If any of you are interested, I hope you will try these quizzes I came up with! (P.S: hopefully my sick-addled mind still came up with something fun... *nervous laughter*)

[Which Harry Potter Character Will Be Your Yule Ball Date?](https://www.quotev.com/quiz/10684855/Which-Harry-Potter-Character-Will-Be-Your-Yule-Ball-Date)

[Which Naruto Character is Interested in You?](https://www.quotev.com/quiz/10687177/Which-Naruto-Character-is-Interested-in-You)

I plan to finish the story request for The Collection first and then, I will move on to the other two Harry Potter stories. Hopefully, I can get the new chapters uploaded soon. Thanks again for enjoying and following these stories! Write to you guys again real soon - WrittenIdeas


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